The Boy Across The Lake
by sweet cheeks 5
Summary: After Ashley fails her final, she is forced to spend her summer with her aunt and uncle in Michigan, where she meets her summer love.
1. Chapter 1

I watched as Mr. Adams organized the papers on his desk into a neat pile. Those were it, they have to be it. It was the last day of school and today was the day we were getting our math exams back. I tapped my pencil on the desk, one of my nervous habits, and I was very nervous. My parents told me if I failed two of my exams, I would have to spend the summer at my aunt and uncle's lake house in Michigan in the middle of no where. I already failed my English exam, and barley passed the rest. My aunt and uncle were crazy. My uncle is going to make me work in his little run-down boat shop that no one ever went to. I tapped my pencil faster. Mr. Adams picked up the huge pile of papers and walked over to the first row of desks. Mr. Adams was a six foot tall, skinny, not very buff kind a guy. He had short, no, very short brown hair that matched his brown eyes. Also, he was very young to be a freshmen math teacher, he was almost 23.

I watched as he worked his way up and down each aisle of desks. I listened to the moans of most of the class as they got their exam back. The only person who excited about their grade was a socially-awkward kid named Josh. I don't think he every failed a test, he had straight A's in every class. I then noticed Mr. Adams was walking towards my desk. I put the pencil down and sat up straighter. I waited for him to put the exam on my desk, I looked up at him and watched him shack his head back and forth. Shit. That's not a good sign. He put the paper on my desk facedown. He walked behind me and passed out more exams.

I stared at the paper on my desk. 70 or above…that's all I need. I slowly picked up the thick packet of paper and flipped it over. 62%. My life was over. I started tapping my pencil again until the final bell rang. I waited for the rest of the class to get up and leave the room. I listened to their cheers and screaming signaling the school year was over and summer was about to begin. I stuffed my exam into the bottom of my school bag and slowly walked out the door.

"Have a good summer, Mr. Adams." I said, just to be polite.

"You too Ashley!" he yelled with a giant smile. I guess he was glad school was over too.

"I'll try…" I muttered under my breath.

I walked down the stairs and made my way to my locker. I grabbed all my notebooks and threw them into the trash can right next to my locker. I looked at the top to find one notebook left. My art notebook. I unzipped my school bag and tucked it in there. I shut my locker for the last time this year and headed towards the bus.

I ran onto my bus, bus number 7, and sat in my normal seat next to my best friends. Aria has been my best friend since I started freshmen year here. She was about 5, 10", had perfect, straight, brownish, blackish hair, and had the body every girl wanted. She was the first one to talk to me when everyone else ignored me. Everyone except Luke, Luke has been my best friend since as far as I can remember. We grew up as neighbors and we been in every class together since pre-k. He was about 6 feet tall, long brown skater boy hair, and the guy every girl wanted to go out with.

"Hey!" Aria said as I sat in between her and Luke. "How'd the exam go?" she asked nervously. I looked at her and hugged her tightly.

I felt Luke's hand on my back. "I'm guessing not to well." He said. "I'm so sorry Ash."

I turned around and threw myself into him. His arms instantly wrapped around me and squeezed me tightly, and kissed my forehead, "Everything's going to be alright." I smiled a little bit, but it didn't help at all, because I knew this summer wasn't going to be alright, it was going to suck. I wasn't going to be with any of my friends, I wasn't going to be able to stay up really late, or sleep in really late, and mostly I wasn't going to be able to spend time with my parent and little brother, Carter, who is turning 6 next month. I won't even be here for his party.

Luke let go of me when we got to our bus stop. I put my arms around both of them and said "I love you both, text me every day. I'm going to miss you guys so much."

"Maybe your parents forgot." Aria suggested. She sounded a little hopeful.

I looked at her, "My dad went out to buy me suitcases this morning. They didn't forget."

Aria said goodbye and gave me another hug. She told me she would write me every day and tell me all about the drama I'm missing out on.

Luke and I got off the bus and I watched as it pulled away to its next stop. I saw Aria in the back seat waving goodbye. I smiled, and waved goodbye slowly.

Luke put his hands on my shoulders and bent down to my level. "Everything is going to be fine." I wasn't really listening though, I was zoning off as I watched my best friend wave goodbye to me. The next time I was going to see her would be in September. "Ash, Ashley, hey, look me in the eyes." Luke shook my shoulders until I snapped out of it and looked him right in the eyes. "Everything. Will. Work. Out. I promise. Okay?"

All I could do was nod. So that's what I did. "Now come here," he continued and pulled me closer to him. I felt his strong arms around my back. I closed my eyes and wished none of this was happening. I wished that I could re-take the test. I wished that Aria and Luke could come with me. I felt Luke's chin rest on top of my head.

"I love you…" he whispered.

I felt a tear running down my cheek. "I love you too."

I heard my door open and I saw my dad. "Well this doesn't look good." He said.

I felt my arms slowly fall off of Luke's waist. I looked up at my dad. "I'll miss you, text me every day." I nodded and he hit my shoulder playfully. I watched as he ran into his house which was right next door. I sighed and looked back at my dad. The walk to my door seemed like the longest walk ever.

I walked up my porch and said hi to my dad. He just nodded and pointed upstairs. "Go start packing. Your flight leaves at 6:09 tonight."

"Tonight!? Why so early, why today!?" I was getting really mad. But by the look on his face, I could tell he was madder.

"Your suitcases are on your bed." He sounded really mad.

I ran upstairs and walked into my room. My room was on the right, Carter's room was on the left down the hall. I threw my bag onto my bed, which landed right next to my new suitcases. I heard Carter's little shoes running across the wooden hallway floor. I turned around and saw my little brother. He had brown straight hair, just like mine, and brown eyes, just like mine. He was three feet high. I know he was my little brother, but he really was adorable.

"Well?" he asked. He sounded hopeful, like there was a chance he was going to be able to spend the summer with his older sister. I bent down to his level and open my arms. He knew it wasn't a good sign so he got really sad.

"Aww come here buddy." I said as he ran into my arms. I picked him up and felt his little legs wrap around my waist and his little arms around my neck.

"I don't want you to go away all summer long!" he cried. "I'll miss you too much!" I hated seeing him sad, it made me sad, but I had to be strong for him.

"It's alright, you can call me every day, okay buddy?" I felt him nod. "Okay, good!"

I put him down and he let go of me. I saw tears running down his cheeks. "Hey! No more tears!" I smiled as I wiped tears off his cheeks and chin. He smiled and nodded. "Okay, go play now."

"Can you play with me?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded. "Of course bubby." He got a huge smile on his face and we walked into his room.


	2. Chapter 2

After I was done playing with Carter, I barley had any time to pack everything up. I threw a majority of my clothes into the suitcases. I brought everything I was going to need with me. I finished packing everything up by 5:30, and the International Airport was a half hour away. I ran downstairs with all my suitcases and put them by the front door. My dad came out of his room in a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt. "Do you have everything?" he asked me like he really cared. I wasn't in the mood to talk to him, so I just stared at him. "Good." He said.

I'm actually excited to get away from my dad for a whole summer. He acted like he didn't care at all that I was going away for three months. My mom on the other hand was devastated. She agreed with my father on why they were sending me away, but she kept hugging me telling me how much she was going to miss me.

We loaded up the trunk of the silver Volvo and we all got in. I was about to get in to but I heard a voice I would recognize anywhere. "Ashley! Wait don't leave yet!" I turned around to see Luke running towards me with a letter in his hand.

"Hurray it up Luke, were going to be late!" my dad shouted from the driver's seat.

Luke didn't seem to listen to him, he just ran up to me and handed me the envelope which has "Ash-I'm gonna miss you" was written on it in Luke's sloppy writing. "What's this?" I asked him.

"I had to give it to you before you left. Just read it when you're by yourself." He smiled and hugged me one last time. "See ya." He waved and backed away.

"Bye." I smiled and got in the seat behind the driver I looked over and saw Carter sitting next to me. My mom was in the passenger's seat waving bye to Luke. I watched Luke run back into his house. His door shut really slowly. I sighed and looked at the letter. I was so tempted to open it. _READ IT WHEN YOU'RE BY YOURSELF._ I heard Luke's voice echo through my head. I sighed and stuffed the letter into the book I had on my lap, _The Hunger Games. _I closed the book and put it back on my lap. I leaned my head against the window and watched as the trees and houses quickly passed by.

The car ride was completely silent the whole way to the airport except for Carter asking my dad every 5 minutes, "Does Ashley HAVE to go away all summer?" Every time he asked I felt more and more sorry for him. We got to the airport and everyone grabbed a suitcase. My dad had the really big on, my mom had the smaller one and Carter insisted on taking my school bag. So he had the school bag on his back, and I had him on my back. He really wanted a piggy back ride and I couldn't say no.

My dad bought me the ticket and then we all went through security together. My mom and Carter wanted to walk me to the gate. My dad didn't look like he cared. Carter hung onto me to the very last possible second. When we got to my gate, Carter was holding my hand and realized he had to let go. He hugged my leg while I hugged my mom goodbye. "Text me every day! Send me pictures! Bye, I love you so much and I'll miss you."

"Bye mom! I'll miss you too." She let go of me and smiled. I looked at my dad and he opened his arms.

"See you soon champ." He said. I hugged him and smiled into his chest.

"Bye dad."

"I love you." I heard him whisper.

I was still mad he was doing this to me, but I didn't hate him. "Love you too."

Mom picked Carter up off my leg and handed him to me. I hugged him and he tightly wrapped his arms around my neck. "You're not allowed to go!" he whispered into my ear. I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Call me every day! Hey, call me after your birthday party and tell me about every toy you got, okay?" I said trying to make him feel better. He got a huge smile on his face and nodded.

My mom took him back and said "Come on, Ashley you're going to be late." I looked at my phone. 6:07. "Call us when you get settled." She said as I took all my luggage and headed towards the plane.

I waved and said "Bye, I love you guys." They all waved back and I handed my ticket to the flight attendant. I got to my seat and put my luggage on the overhead above me. I sat down in the cushion window seat and closed my eyes. This was going to be a long flight.

I got off the plane, struggling with all my bags. People in Michigan were very rude. They were bumping me and pushing me, none of them even said sorry. I readjusted my bag and got to a clear spot where I could see everyone. I stood on a chair looking for the driver my dad arranged. I saw him over in the back corner by the luggage pickup. He was about, 5, 10 – 6 feet tall, was wearing a black suit. He looked like a limo driver, but he to be my driver because he was holding a white poster board that said _Miss Ashley Connors, _written on it in fancy print.

I walked over to him. "Hello." I smiled.

"Are you Miss Connors?" he asked.

"That's me." I said, trying to be polite. He smiled and put the sign under his arm.

"Hello, my name is Phil, allow me." He said taking both of my suitcases. I told him I wanted to hold the school bag. He agreed and walked me out of the airport. I followed him out the door and looked around. There were tons of mountains and hills, the sky was a perfect color blue, and it smelt like nature. It was truly beautiful. Maybe I could make this summer work.

I heard airplanes taking off and landing behind me while I tried to find the car. There was a black car over to the right with the_ Enterprise_ logo on it. "Oh, is that it?" I pointed to the little black car. I didn't hear a response. "Phil?" I turned around and found a mob of people. "Phil!" I walked out towards the street and saw him loading up a limo. A limo? My dad got me a limo!? But why? I walked over to the stretched limo and Phil. He opened up the door for me and I climbed in. I sat on the black leather seat. This was awesome, I can't believe my dad got this for me.

I looked around and saw a mini frig, filled with water and soda, a basket on top of it with bags of chips and pretzels in it, a mini flat screen as the divider, black cushion couches outlining it, and a mini magazine rack across from the frig. I picked up the remote off the couch and turned on the TV. I was stretched out and totally comfy. I still don't understand why my dad got me a stretch limo. Me he knows my summers gonna suck and he wanted to do something nice. Or maybe I'm in the wrong car and I'm really supposed to be in the white _Enterprise _car. Either way, I was getting to my aunt and uncle's house.

After the 2 hour car ride, or should I say limo ride, we showed up at the 3 story log cabin lake house. I looked at it through the window of the limo. "Is this it Miss Connors?" Phil asked the divider.

I sighed, "Yup Phil, this is it." Sadly. He parked the limo out front. There wasn't really a drive way cause the ground was covered in dirt and gravel. It was about 11 at night, so I couldn't really see the house. I watched as the front door opened and my aunt came running out with my uncle slowly following her.

"Oh, Ashley! It's so nice to have you out here all summer." Aunt Michelle exclaimed giving me a hug.

"It is. Thanks again…" I trailed off pretending to be happy.

"Anything for you Ashley." Uncle Mark said "But it's not really a vacation, I'm gonna make you a responsible adult."

I nodded, I looked down by the lake and saw a little shop. That must be his boat shop. I cant spend my summer here, I was going to cry. I coughed, "Umm where's my room?"


End file.
